Toy flying rotors



Aug. 13, 1957 R. J. LOHR TOY FLYING ROTORS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 16, 1953 INVENTOR K4/M0/V0 J." 40/11? MIL ATTOR EYS Aug. 13, 1957 R. J. LOHR 2,802,299

TOY FLYING ROTORS Filed Dec. 16, 1953 Y 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 N ENTOR FIE. 14. Y lav/M02 a: 40/1 BYv M ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oflice 2,802,299 Patented Aug. 13, 1957 TOY FLYING ROTORS Raymond J. Lohr, Erie, Pa., assignor to Louis Marx & Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 16, 1953, Serial No. 398,572 9 Claims. (11. 46 83) This invention relates to toys, and more particularly to flying rotor toys in which the rotor has propeller blades and is spun by and rises from a launcher.

The primary object of the invention is to generally improve flying rotor toys. A more particular object is to add interest and excitement for children by launching and sending aloft two or even more than two rotors at once. A further object of the invention is to provide a toy in which the multiple rotors start their flight together, but separate while aloft, and then continue their flight and descent independently of one another.

To accomplish the foregoing general objects, and other more specific objects which will hereinafter appear, my invention resides in the multiple flying rotor toy elements, and their relation one to another, as are hereinafter more particularly described in the following specification. The specification is accompanied by drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a multiple flying rotor toy embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view indicating that the rotors take off together but separate in flight; I

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the toy shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3A is an end view of the tail portion of the launcher;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section drawn to enlarged scale and taken approximately in the plane of the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the hub portion of the rotor;

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the hub portion taken at the line 66 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the spindle of the launcher taken approximately in the plane of the line 77 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a bottom view of the handle portion of the launcher looking in the direction of the arrows 8-8 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8A is a detail of a hook formed at the lower end of the spindle;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical section similar to the upper portion of Fig. 4 but showing a modification;

Fig. 10 is a section drawn to enlarged scale and taken approximately in the plane of the line 10-10 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of an adapter forming a part of the modification shown in Figs. 9 and 10;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the adapter;

Fig. 13 is a side view of the adapter; and

Fig. 14 is a bottom view of the adapter.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 3, the multiple flying rotor toy comprises a launcher generally designated 12, and multiple rotors 14 and 16. The rotor 14 rests in conventional fashion on the driving spindle 18 of the launcher, and the rotor 16 is superposed on and is driven by the rotor 14, for which purpose the latter is provided with drive means, preferably in the form of sloping teeth or dogs which engage mating recesses in the bottom of the hub of the teeth or dogs 66 which are received in recesses in the rotor 16. The rotors are preferably made alike and interchangeable, and thus the driving teeth of rotor 16 may be seen at 20 in Figs. 1 and 3, but interchangeability is not essential.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the launcher 12 in this particular case is operated by pulling a drawstring 22, therebyspinning the driving spindle 18. This sets both rotors 14 and 16 into rapid rotation, and they take off from the launcher together, and for a time fly as a unit. After a while the rotors tend to separate, as shown at 14' and 16', and thereafter continue to fly independently, and land at different points. This adds excitement and heightens the interest of children, because of the separation of the rotors, and the need to watch for their separate landings in order to retrieve both. It will beunderstood that Fig. 2 has been compressed into a small space on the drawing, and that in fact the separation of the rotors takes place well up in the air. I In Fig. 3 it will be understood that each rotor comprises a hub 23 with blades 24 radiating therefrom to provide a propeller or screw action. In the present case the rotor furthercomprises a peripheral ring 26which connects the ends of the blades. Therotor is preferably molded out of a single body of a suitable moldable plastic, and I if desired the plastic may be flexible plastic such as polyethylene, although this is not essential.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 3, the launcher 12 comprises a cylindrical part 34 and a radially extending arm 32 which may somewhat simulate the fuselage of a helicopter. A circular tail part 34 heightens this simu-l lation and carries a guide loop 36 for the pull cord'22. The latter terminates in a pull ring 38. The structure is reinforced by a handle portion 40. It will be under-v stood that the par'ts 30, 32, 34, 36 and 40 are all molded integrally out of a single body of rigid plastic.

The guide loop 36 may be formed without the us of retractible cores in a manner which will be clear from Fig. 3A, which shows how the loop 36 is open at the right side, so that the parts may be molded between the halves of a simple two-part mold. The ring 38 has been shown pulled down out of the way to help show the loop 36. y a

The construction of the drive spindle 18 may be de-. scribed with reference to Figs. 4, 'Z and 8 of the drawing. The shank 42 of the spindle is rotatable in a bearing 44 formed at the upper end of the cylindrical portion 38. The lower end of shank 42 takes the form of a hook 45 (Fig. 8A) about which both sides of an ordinary rubber band 46 (Fig. 4) are looped. One closed end 48 of the rubber band is received around an anchorage 50, as shown in Fig. 8, while the other closed end 52 of the rubber band is received around a similar diametrically opposed anchorage 54. Each anchorage is formed by slitting the lower end of the cylinder 30 upwardly, as shown at 56, there being four such slits in all, to make the two anchorages.

The upper end of shank 42 carries a spool or drum 58 around which the pull cord 22 is wound. The end of the pull cord passes through a hole in the lower flange 60 of the drum, and is there knotted as shown at 62 (Fig '4). It will be evident that by pulling the operating cord the spindle is set into rotation, and that when the cord is released it is rewound about the drum by the rubber band, which meanwhile has become twisted or wound up.

The top of the drive spindle 18 is provided with suitable drive means to spin the rotor and to release the same. Specifically, and referring to Fig. 7, there is a centering hole 64 dimensioned to receive a mating centering stud at the bottom of the rotor hub, and-there are bottom of the rotor hub. These teeth are preferably triangular, as is best shown in Fig. 13, there being an upright driving surface 68;and a sloping back surface Referring now to Figs. 4, and 6 of the drawing, the

top of the hub portion 23 has a centering hole 72, preferably dimensioned like the centering hole 64 of the drive spindle. It also has a pair of diametrically opposed driving teeth 20, preferably like the driving teeth 66 at the top of the spindle. Thus the upper portion of the hub of the rotor may be used as though it were itself a driving spindle. The lower portion of the hub has a cylindrical centering stud 74, the lower end of which projects downwardly below the hub. The hub also has a plurality of approximately radial webs-in this case four webs 76. The lower portion of the webs connect the outer part 78 of the hub with the upper portion of the centering stud 74, and also cooperate with the driving teeth to receive the thrust thereof. Difierently expressed, there are recesses between the webs 76 which at their lower ends receive the driving teeth. a

In preferred form the rotors are alike, as shown in Fig. 4, each having a centering hole and drive teeth at the top, and a centering stud and recesses or webs at the bottom. Thus either rotor 14 or rotor 16 may be placed on the drive spindle 18, and the other rotor may be superposed on the lower rotor. Indeed more than two rotors may be employed, and all may be interchangeable, and may be stacked in any desired order. However, it is not essential that the rotors be alike, in which case the only difference in operation is that one rotor would be used at all times as the lower rotor, and the other would be used at all times as the upper rotor. In such case, and assuming that no more than two rotors are to be used, it would not be necessary to provide a centering hole and drive teeth on the upper rotor.

As so far described the rotor with its complete hub, including drive means, etc., is molded out of a single body of moldable material. This, however, is not essential, and if desired the hub portion or a part of the hub portion may be made separately. In Figs. 9-14 of the drawing I show a modification of the invention in which one or more rotors which are molded without drive means, may be fitted with an upper hub portion having drive means. Thus the added upper hubportion acts as an adapter which may be usedto change an ordinary driven rotor into a driving rotor, and so adapting it to receive a superposed rotor.

Referring to Figs. 9 and 10, the launcher 80 and drive spindle 82 may be of a known type, and adapted to receive a rotor 84 molded integrally with a lower hub portion 86, the latter carrying a depending centering stud 88, which in turn is secured to the hub portion 86 by means. of offset radial webs 90. These webs extend through to the top of the rotor, as shown in Fig. 10, and the rotor has no driving teeth at the top. The driving teeth of the spindle 82 are shown at 83 in Fig. 10.

The adapter is shown in Figs. 11 through 14. It provides an upper hub portion 92 having a centering hole 94 and driving teeth 96. The lower part of the adapter conforms to a cylinder but with approximately quarter segments cut away, leaving approximately quarter seg ments 98. These are dimensioned to be received frictionally within the lower hub portion 86, as is best shown in Fig. ID, in which the approximately quarter segments 98 of the adapter or upper hub portion are received between the webs 90. Thus the rotor 84 with the adapter becomes a rotor which embodies features of the invention, for the modified rotor has a centering hole and drive means at the top of the complete hub, and has a centering stud and driven means at the bottom of the complete hub, the complete hub being made up of the lower hub portion 86 which is integral with the blades, and the adapter which provides the upper hub portion of the rotor.

The superposed rotor 100 (Fig. 9) may be a rotor like that described in connection with Figs. 1 through 8 of the drawing, that is, it may be a rotor in which the hub portion has integral driving teeth 102 formed at the top in addition to a centering stud 104 formed at the bottom, all as previously described. If desired the rotor 100 may be like the rotor 84 shown in Fig. 9, with or without an adapter. If only two rotors are to be employed, a single adapter may be used which forms a part of the lower rotor, and in that case the upper rotor will not have driving teeth. Of course, each rotor may be provided with an adapter, and in that case the rotors will be interchangeable, as previously described, the essential ditference then being that the rotors will each be made of two separately molded pieces of material. Obviously two such rotors could be superposed by a third rotor, the latter being used with or without an adapter.

It is believed that the construction and method of use of my improved multiple rotor toy, as well as the advantages thereof, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description. It will also be apparent that while I have shown and described the invention in several preferred forms, changes may be made in the structures shown, without departing from the scope of the invention, as sought to be defined in the following claims.

I claim:

l. A rotor comprising a hub and blades radiating therefrom to provide a propeller or screw action, said hub having means at the bottom to mate with easily releasable drive means in the form of one or more teeth at the top of the rotatable spindle of a launcher, said teeth having sloping backs, and said hub having easily releasable drive means in the form of one or more teeth at the top, said teeth having sloping backs, thereby adapting the hub to mate with the bottom of the hub of another rotor, whereby two or more rotors may be superposed and spun by the launcher spindle and may separate from the launcher and from one another.

2. A rotor comprising a hub and blades radiating therefrom to provide a propeller or screw action, said hub having drive means at the bottom to mate with drive means on the rotatable spindle of a launcher, said drive means being effective for drive in one direction only, and having means at the top similar to the means at the top of the spindle of the launcher, thereby adapting the same to mate with the bottom of the hub of another like rotor, for drive in one direction only, whereby two or more like rotors may be superposed in any desired order and may be spun by the launcher spindle and may separate from the launcher and from one another.

3. A rotor comprising a hub and blades radiating therefrom to provide a propeller or screw action, said hub having a centering stud at the bottom and recesses at the bottom to receive the teeth of the rotatable spindle of a launcher, said teeth having sloping hacks for easy release, and said hub having a centering hole at the top to receive the centering stud at the bottom of another superposed like rotor, said hub also having teeth at the top like those of the spindle to bear against the recesses at the bottom of the hub of the superposed like rotor, whereby two or more like rotors may be superposed in any desired order and may be set spinning by the launcher and may separate from the launcher and from one another.

4. In combination, a plurality of rotors for simultaneous use with a single launcher, said launcher including a rotatable spindle and means to rotate the same, the top of said spindle having centering means and drive means, said combination of rotors each comprising a hub and blades radiating therefrom for a screw or propeller action, the bottom of the hub of the lower rotor having means to mate with the centering and drive means at the top of the spindle of the launcher, and the top of the hub of the lower rotor having centering and drive means to mate with the bottom of the hub of the upper rotor, whereby said launcher spins a superposed ph'rality of rotors which are free to separate from the spindle and from one another.

5. In combination, a plurality of like rotors for simultaneous use with a single launcher, said launcher including a rotatable spindle and means to rotate the same, the top of said spindle having centering means and drive means, said combination of rotors each comprising a hub and blades radiating therefrom for a screw or propeller action, the bottom of each hub having means to mate with the centering and drive means at the top of the spindle of the launcher, and the top of each hub having centering and drive means like the top of the spindle to mate with the bottom of the hub of the next like rotor, whereby said launcher spins a superposed plurality of like rotors which are superposed in any desired order and which are free to separate from the spindle and from one another.

6. In combinatioma plurality of like rotors for simultaneous use with a single launcher, said launcher including a rotatable spindle and means to rotate the same, the top of said spindle having a centering hole and drive teeth, said teeth having sloping backs for easy release, said combination of rotors each comprising a hub and sloping blades radiating therefrom for a screw or propeller action, the bottom of each hub having a centering stud and recesses to mate with the centering hole and drive teeth at the top of the spindle of the launcher, and the top of each hub having a centering hole and drive teeth like the top of the spindle to mate with the bottom of the hub of the next like rotor, whereby said launcher spins a superposed plurality of like rotors which are superposed in any desired order and which are free to separate from the spindle and from one another.

7. A combination of rotors as defined in claim 4, in which the rotors are each molded out of a single body of flexible plastics material having the physical characteristics of polyethylene, and have a peripheral ring connecting the outer ends of the blades.

8. A combination of rotors as defined in claim 4, m which the lower rotor includes a detachable adapter forming the top portion of its hub, the lower part of said adapter being dimensioned to frictionally fit into the lower portion of the hub, and the upper part of the adapter having the centering and drive means adapted to mate with the bottom of the hub of the upper rotor.

9. In combination, a rotor as defined in claim 1, in which the upper part of the hub is an adapter frictionally received in the lower part of the hub, said adapter providing the centering means and the drive means for receiving the bottom of the hub of a superposed rotor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 862,094 Morton July 30, 1907 954,404 Trimble Apr. 5, 1910 998,450 Bannihr July 18, 1911 1,153,415 Beaty Sept. 14, 1915 1,334,184 Sterling Mar. 16, 1920 1,382,559 Schultz a June 21, 1921 1,573,527 Simonek Feb. 16, 1926 1,942,894 Holbrook Jan. 9, 1934 1,997,238 Sharp Apr. 9, 1935 2,627,853 Koepnick Feb. 10, 1953 2,646,786 Robertson July 28, 1953 2,688,206 Nagler Sept. 7, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 433,943 Germany Sept. 16, 1926 437,765 Germany Nov. 27, 1926 

